Column: Will Redskins owner do the right thing?

By Brian Kurz, for The Denver Post, Digital First Media

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

During a recent trip to the grocery store my checkout person incorrectly entered the food item I was purchasing. Instead of charging me $15.99 for my ribeye steak she charged me $3.99 for what she thought was ground chuck. The food was in the bag, the total given, and I was the only person the wiser. During my moment's hesitation I considered whether or not to take the "sale price." Ultimately I decided not to sell my integrity for $12.

Sometimes you do the right thing because it is the right thing.

Oftentimes in our lives we are confronted with situations where we must make a decision and the only negative for choosing the wrong path is the possibility of a guilty conscience.

The National Football League's Washington Redskins are currently in this situation. Unlike teams that have Native American leaders and warriors as their monikers or are named after specific tribes, the Redskins' name is considered by most to be an offensive racial slur. In fact, the Merriam-Webster defines it as such. And President Barack Obama has recently called into question the wisdom of the team's name, saying that it was "offending a sizable group of people" and that he'd "consider changing the name" if he were the owner.

The history of associating teams and groups with Native Americans dates back to the Boston Tea Party. The Sons of Liberty made no effort to hide the fact that they were responsible for spilling tea into the Boston Harbor. Instead of dressing like Native Americans to disguise themselves, they used these outfits as a way to create a warrior-like persona.

America has had a complicated and often shameful relationship with Native Americans in the well over 200 years since the Boston Tea Party. There have been acts of atrocity and war, yet still we name our sports teams after them.

As opposed to other college and professional sports teams that can claim positive associations with Native American tribes and culture, the Washington Redskins simply use a descriptor of skin color.

There are many who will paint this issue as complex. Certainly there is a history and tradition to this name. There is no wide movement to change it. Because the name has been so commonly used over the past several decades, it does not have the same meaning when associated with the team as it would in isolation. All of these arguments rely on convincing the audience that it is OK to overlook an obvious wrong.

However, doing the right thing is seldom as complex as we let ourselves believe.

The Redskins were originally named the Braves. While they've carried this name for the past 81 years, it is not as if changing names would be new to the franchise.

Perhaps the largest problem lies with the motivation for the Redskins to change their name. There is none. The team sells out each of its home games; it has a years-long season ticket waiting list. Robert Griffin III, the team's starting quarterback, had the NFL's best-selling jersey last season. There is no shortage of people who will pay money to the Redskins for tickets, jerseys and other gear.

With no financial incentive to change, there is really no reason to change. If you are offended by the team's nickname, or simply understand that the term is demeaning but are otherwise apathetic, you rely solely on the moral compass of the team's owner. Daniel Snyder, the owner, has stated that he has no plans to consider changing the name of the team.

In Colorado, where our ties to the Native American community are strong, parents who enjoy watching football are left to explain to their children why a term they would never use in public can be used on select Sundays during the year. At the end of this month, when the Washington Redskins come to Denver to play our Broncos, casual conversations will be unwittingly laced with racial slurs.

Just like me, Mr. Snyder is standing at the checkout counter and knows he can get away with something that he shouldn't. Time will tell what he decides.